Vicky Redwood, chief UK economist at Capital Economics

"The UK recovery is picking up pace. While there are still significant obstacles to overcome before a strong and sustained recovery is in sight, the economy is moving in the right direction."

Ian Stewart, chief economist at Deloitte

"This broad-based rise in activity sets the scene for a gradual acceleration in growth next year. We are a long way from the heady rates of GDP growth that prevailed before the crisis, but the UK is on the mend."

Rob Wood, chief UK economist, Berenberg Bank

"It's easy to pick holes in Britain's nascent recovery, but we shouldn't be churlish. All sectors expanded on the quarter and industrial production grew as fast as service-sector output."

Kevin Daly, chief UK economist at Goldman Sachs

"There is a difference between growth getting better and growth being good. The ONS figures show [the economy] is getting better, but is hardly good."

Alan Clarke, UK economist at Scotiabank

"Surveys, housing indicators and hard monthly data have been undeniably robust. But can it last? We are reluctant to extrapolate the upward trajectory for growth much beyond early 2014."

Victoria Clarke, UK economist at Investec

"The recovery position remains far from strong and in our view still not approaching a faster recovery speed. "

Paul Bennett, president of Black Country Chamber of Commerce

"Short-term measures may have helped inject some life into the economy, but we would encourage government to consider its longer-term strategy, particularly a meaningful national investment bank."

Andrew Sentance, senior economic adviser, PwC

"We should expect fluctuations, but the underlying trend is improving. This latest figure is consistent with our projection of 1% growth this year and 2% next, which would make 2014 the strongest year of the recovery so far."